Performance assessment of rural water supply system: A case study of Matatani Village, Musina Local Municipality, South Africa

ESMMES

Department of Earth Sciences

Assessment of the performance of a water supply system is essential to ensure its effectiveness in supplying water to households. The study assessed the performance of rural water supply system using Matatani Village as a case study. Field observations were conducted to identify existing water supply sources. These were mapped in Quantum Geographical Information Systems to determine the spatial distribution of the water sources and their proximity to households. A questionnaire survey was conducted to gather community perceptions of the water supply system. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25 was used to analyse questionnaire survey data. Water quality sampling was conducted from December 2023 to May 2024, covering both dry and wet seasons. Sampling locations included Borehole 1 (BH1), Borehole 2 (BH2), River Upstream (RU), River Downstream (RD), the Municipal Tap (MT), and Spring water. Water samples were analysed for physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters. Extech EC500 Pocket Meter and Extech TB400 Turbidity Meter were used to measure physical parameters. Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy and DR3900 Spectrophotometer were used to analyse metals and non-metals ions, respectively. Metals and non-metals which were analysed include calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), sulphate (SO4), chlorine (Cl), phosphate (PO4) and fluoride (F). Microbiological parameters including Escherichia coliform (E. coli) and total coliform were analysed using membrane filtration method. Groundwater yield and water requirements were estimated for the months of December 2023 to May 2024. These were compared to the estimated water requirements at basic, intermediate and optimal service levels. Key performance indicators on reliability and accessibility were compared to benchmarks to assess the performance status of the water supply system. The socioeconomic profile of Matatani Village is dominated by young population, with 31.4% aged 18–29 years. The high proportion of youth suggests that water demand and usage patterns are influenced by an active population engaged in both domestic and economic activities. Matatani Village faces economic vulnerabilities, with 68.6% of the population relying on grants and a high unemployment rate, with 75.7% of the population unemployed. The high unemployment status indicates significant economic hardship, which can limit the community’s ability to contribute financially to water system maintenance. The findings from field observations and a questionnaire survey indicated that the community relies on diverse sources, including rivers, springs, boreholes, communal taps, rainwater, and municipal water tankers. BH3 and BH4 are non-functional, while BH1 remains operational but is situated far from the households, making access challenging for residents. BH2 was initially designed to support both Mbodi and Matatani residents, but supplying water consistently to Matatani Village has proven challenging. The Mutale River and springs are vulnerable to contamination, while water from municipal taps is infrequently available. The results indicated that only 15.7% of households use 1400 liters per household per week. About 37.1% use between 350–700 liters, 24.3% access 175–350 liters, and 7.1% receive less than 175 liters per week, all of which were below the benchmark of 1500 liters per household per week. The residents of Matatani face challenges in accessing water from their preferred main source. The travelling distances to BH1 varied from 536 m to 1.73 km while the river varied from 3.80 km to 6.56 km to households and were above the benchmark of 100 m. Majority of the respondents (81.4%) experience frequent water supply disruptions indicating poor reliability of the water sources. Groundwater yields varied from 61714.29 to 77142.86 L/d and were adequate to meet the water requirements of 7000, 14000 and 28000 L/d for basic, intermediate and optimal access levels. While most physical water quality parameters complied with water quality guidelines, turbidity for groundwater from BH1 did not meet the compliance standard. Most of the microbial and chemical parameters did not meet the compliance standards for water quality guidelines. Some of the microbial and chemical water quality parameters that exceeded the guidelines include E. coli, total coliform, Al, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd and Fe in all water sources. Failure to comply with water quality guidelines for chemical and microbial water quality parameters compromised the safety of the water for domestic use. Although half of the population perceive community engagement in water supply management as beneficial, only 1.4% actively participate in paying for these services, which may affect the sustainability of the water supply system. The performance assessment of the Matatani Village water supply system highlighted challenges related to accessibility and reliability, thereby limiting its effectiveness in meeting community needs resulting in poor performance. The study recommends implementation of improved water distribution systems and rehabilitation of BH3, which will increase the water supply and alleviate pressure on other sources. Strengthening community participation through new water management committees and training programs is also recommended for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the system.